Mulesing deadline 'unlikely to be reached'

Rural lobby group AgForce say Australian wool will be more difficult to sell in global markets because of the inability to find an alternative to the controversial practice of mulesing.

The wool industry body - Australian Wool Innovation - says it is unlikely that a 2010 deadline to phase out mulesing will be reached.

The practice of removing skin from an animal's backside to prevent flystrike has made international headlines because of animal welfare concerns, with some retailers refusing to buy mulesed Australian wool.

Brent Finlay from AgForce says it is disappointing the deadline will not be reached.

"As an industry we need to move forward and we need the buyers of Australian merino wool to support the growers," he said.

"We'll hear a lot of noise [about this], it's already started in the media today and it'll go right around the world.

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